Inter-Island Communications News Brief – March 11, 2020

Bermuda’s emergency responders put out a fire at Westgate and are looking for a pair of wannabe thieves in Paget. According to a police spokesperson quote, “At around 11:30 am on 9th March 2020, police responded to a report of two men dressed in dark clothing, who entered the ScooterMart and attempted to rob the store located on Lovers Lane in Paget. The men were unsuccessful in their attempt and left riding a motorcycle west along Lover’s Lane. Police are appealing to anyone who may have seen two men on a motorcycle acting suspiciously in the Rural Hill / Harbour Road area, prior to or after 11:30 am, or anyone who may have information regarding this incident to call Constable Ian Taitt in the Specialist Investigations Crime Division on 247-1744.”

Also, one of the remand cells at Westgate went up in flames Monday morning, as described by Minister of National Security Wayne Caines who shared quote “I want to thank the swift actions of the Corrections Officers on duty this morning, as well as the Bermuda Fire & Rescue Service for their safety efforts. The Ministry was advised of the incident which involved a fire in one of the remand cells. Quick-acting Corrections Officers extinguished the fire, and the BF&RS attended to ensure the safety and security of the area. There were no injuries as a result of the incident. All inmates were moved to the recreation field until the BF&RS deemed it safe to return to the interior of the facility. As the public can appreciate we are currently thoroughly investigating the cause of the matter.”

Kevin Dallas has been replaced, at least temporarily, as the head of the BTA by Glenn Jones. This announcement was made by the BTA Board, who shared that Mr. Jones will serve as interim CEO until an executive search can nail down a long term head of the body. The BTA Chair Paul Telford shared quote “Glenn is a Bermudian who has grown and developed within the ranks of the BTA and performed very well in a variety of evolving roles, latterly in the c-suite. I have no doubt he will be able to step into the CEO role with strength and confidence during this interim period. He has an extremely strong leadership team around him, which I’m certain will support him to the fullest, in liaison with the Board. We’re confident in Glenn’s ability to pilot the BTA on its ever-successful trajectory.”

Glenn himself shared quote “I’m proud for the opportunity to lead a team that helped fuel a 37-percent increase in air arrivals for Bermuda since 2015. During this interim period, I hope to inspire our team and the industry to the same principles that got us here: data-driven decision-making, commitment to stakeholder engagement, and strategic focus on the long view. At the same time, we’ll be focused on an agile response and innovative thinking to navigate the formidable headwinds we face in the near-term.”

If you’re in the market for a car, the state’s holding a public sale of surplus items including a range of vehicles, ranging from sedans, vans, family starter cars and smaller rides for single folks. The Ministry of Public Works, via a spokesperson, shared quote “The Lots can be viewed at Government Quarry, 18 Quarry Road, on Wednesday, 11 March 2020 and Thursday, 12 March 2020 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. only. Contact Edith Dias at 501-3033 for further information. All items are sold without warranty in ‘as-is’ condition. All bids must be submitted on an official Tender Form which may be obtained from the aforementioned individual. Completed Tender Forms must be deposited no later than 3:00 p.m. Friday, March 13, 2020, in the Tender Box located at the office of the Ministry of Public Works, General Post Office Building 3rd Floor, 56 Church Street, Hamilton. Late tenders will not be considered. The Ministry reserves the right not to accept the highest or any tender.”

The coronavirus outbreak has, thankfully, not hit the island yet, but its impact is still something we’re very likely to feel with the United Nations World Trade Organization suggesting the global health crisis will cause a 30 to 50 billion dollar loss in international tourism receipts. The UNWTO statement shared that quote “Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, UNWTO predicted a positive growth of 3% to 4% for this year. This first assessment expects that Asia and the Pacific will be the worst affected region, with an anticipated fall in arrivals of 9% to 12%. Estimates for other world regions are currently premature in view of the rapidly evolving situation. UNWTO underscores that any estimate must be treated with caution and is likely to be updated. Travel restrictions and flight cancellations/frequency reduction have significantly diminished the supply of travel services [both domestic and international] while demand continues to retract. Considering the evolving nature of the situation, it is too early to estimate the full impact of the COVID-19 on international tourism.”